Lions conduct banner exchange

Monday, July 25, 2011

ADELE R. ARGOT/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS Lions District 14U Governor Scott Dudley, left, is ready to take this Lions year ownership of the District Banner as it is turned over to him by Immediate Past District Governor Bob Kelsey, right. The Banner Exchange is a tradition of many years' standing.

By ADELE R. ARGOT TN Correspondent tneditor@tnonline.com

A yearly ritual for the Lions of District 14U continued as the West Penn Lions of Schuylkill County came to the Western Pocono Lions of Monroe County for the traditional District Governor banner exchange.

West Penn Lion Scott Dudley is now District Governor and Bob Kelsey of the Western Pocono Lions has just completed his year's tenure as District Governor.

The passing of the District Governor's banner forward has been a tradition, an annual event, for years.

This year it was held at Ye Olde Saylors Inn in Saylorsburg, with more than 50 Lions and guests in attendance. Among the guests was a group of Lions from across the Delaware River, members of the Knowlton Township Lions Club, as well as other Lions from the Orwigsburg Lions Club and the Stroudsburg Lions Club.

With the meeting begun under the big gavel of new Western Pocono Lions Club president Charles Rush, it was soon time for Immediate Past District Governor Bob Kelsey to present the banner to DG Scott Dudley.

IPDG Kelsey promised "to talk more" than he had during his year as District Governor and began by presenting a 2 1/2-foot tall Lion to the new District Governor after explaining how the big Lion has been living in his basement for the last year, waiting to makes its next visit to a new district governor. Its history also includes Past District Governor Jim Price of Tannersville who gets credit for presenting it to the district when he was district governor in 2001-2002.

He suggested that the big Lion be well fed with finances before turning it over to DG Dudley.

"We have lots of talent in this District," said IPDG Kelsey as he extended his thanks to all the people who helped him during his Lions year.

He had "good people behind him."

DG Scott was instructed to change his name to Scott Bob or Bob Scott in light of the past three consecutive District Governors in District 14U being Bob, including Bob Argot, Bob Neumoyer and Bob Kelsey.

IPDG Kelsey shared that his Governor's pin won third place in the state competition and won 1st place in a certain category on the International Lions level.

In addition to the banner exchange, regular business of the Western Pocono Lions Club was transacted. That business included reminders of the annual picnic being held with the Tannersville Lions Club at Mountain View Park in Tannersville, the work the Western Lions Club will be doing at the August West End Fair in Gilbert and the scheduling of mowing the triangle between Route 209 and Route 115 in Brodheadsville.

On this night of transferring leadership there was once more a friendly roar from all Lions as they witnessed yet another worthy Lion take on the task of leading District 14U.